A Republican bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The ``PERM Backlog Reduction Act of 2026'' establishes an optional program to speed up the processing of forms required for permanent labor certification. Under this act, the Secretary of Labor will collect a fee from employers who wish to expedite form ETA-9089 or its successor. The program requires the Secretary to process these forms within 30 calendar days. If an employer asks for information regarding an unprocessed form, the Secretary must act within 15 calendar days. The $1,200 fee will be adjusted annually for inflation starting in fiscal year 2028. All collected fees will be deposited into a specific account to fund the program and its administration.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
Allows employers to more quickly secure permanent labor certifications for their staff.
- Scored +4
Would immigrants be better off under this?
Speeds up the process of obtaining permanent labor certification required for immigration.
- Scored +3
Is this likely to create jobs?
By expediting labor certification, employers can more quickly fill permanent positions.
The opposite
- Scored -5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill specifically exempts the program from many transparency laws like FOIA and the Privacy Act.
- Scored -3
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The bill allows for exemptions from the Privacy Act to expedite implementation.
- Scored -2
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?
Exemptions from the Administrative Procedure Act may impact due process oversight.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Faster Processing for Employers: The bill creates a program that requires the Secretary of Labor to process form ETA-9089 within 30 calendar days, providing a quicker path for employers seeking permanent labor certification (Section 2(b)(1)).
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Quick Resolution of Inquiries: If an employer submits a request for information regarding an unprocessed form, the Secretary must process the form within 15 calendar days (Section 2(b)(2)).
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Program Funding and Infrastructure: The fees collected are intended to cover the costs of administering the program, including staffing, training, case adjudication, and system upgrades (Section 2(c)(5)).
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Fraud Detection: The collected fees can be used specifically to detect fraud related to the expedited program (Section 2(c)(5)(F)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Financial Cost to Employers: Employers must pay a $1,200 fee to participate in the optional expedited program (Section 2(c)(1)).
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Increasing Costs Over Time: The $1,200 fee is subject to annual increases starting in fiscal year 2028 based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (Section 2(c)(2)).
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Reduced Transparency and Oversight: Certain laws, including the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, and the Paperwork Reduction Act, may not apply to the implementation of this act if officials determine compliance would impede its expeditious implementation (Section 2(g)(1) and Section 2(g)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Allows employers to more quickly secure permanent labor certifications for their staff. Would immigrants be better off under this? — Speeds up the process of obtaining permanent labor certification required for immigration.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Increases the administrative discretion and power of the Secretary of Labor regarding transparency exemptions. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill specifically exempts the program from many transparency laws like FOIA and the Privacy Act. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill allows for exemptions from the Privacy Act to expedite implementation. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — Exemptions from the Administrative Procedure Act may impact due process oversight.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — By expediting labor certification, employers can more quickly fill permanent positions. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Provides a mechanism for businesses to expedite their permanent labor needs. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Faster labor movement may provide minor economic stimulus through quicker staffing.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — Speeds up the permanent labor certification process which is a key step in legal immigration.
- 10/1/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/17/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/6/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
J. CorreaDemocrat · California
Donald DavisDemocrat · North Carolina
Maria SalazarRepublican · Florida